Not applicable
Not applicable
The present invention relates generally to a heated water bucket designed to prevent liquids such as water from freezing when placed outside in cold weather.
Domestic animals, such as livestock and pets, require large amounts of water throughout the year. In order to provide domestic animal with needed water during winter months, it is known to equip exterior livestock watering tanks with heating elements to prevent the water contained therein from icing over during cold temperatures. Often the heating elements are in the form of immersable heater that either float in the tank or rest on the bottom of the tank. Although such immersable heaters may prevent the water from freezing, they tend to need to be replaced frequently. Alternatively, it is know to equip the watering tank with a built in heater. One known design, which is sold by the assignee of the present application, consists of a pair of gallon plastic buckets, which are nested one inside of the other. A heating element in the form of a foil heater is disposed between the walls of the two buckets. The heating element is affixed to the inner bucket by an adhesive. Because of its relatively small size, this bucket needs to be secured to prevent it from being tipped over by animals. Additionally, its small size necessitates frequent refilling when it is used by large animals, such as horses, and makes it unsuitable for supply water to multiple animals. Using this design for a larger bucket, such as a sixteen or twenty gallon bucket, would be relatively expensive because it would require using two of the larger, more costly buckets.
A heated water bucket includes a main bucket having a bottom wall and a wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall. The side wall has an upper portion and a lower portion. An outer shell disposed about the lower portion of side wall of the main bucket. The outer shell and the side wall of the main bucket define a compartment therebetween. A heating element is disposed between the outer shell and the main bucket. A power cord extends from the watering tank and is interconnected with the heating element for delivering electrical power thereto.
The heating element may be a foil heater, which may be secured around lower portion of the side wall of the main bucket. The foil heater may include an adhesive backing which secures the foil heater to the side wall of the main bucket.
The outer shell may be formed by a second bucket having a reduced height relative to the height of the main bucket. The side wall of the main bucket may include a downwardly extending lip formed at the junction of its upper and lower portions, and the side wall of the second bucket may be configured to seat in the downwardly extending lip.